The Best Culture

I think one of the main reasons why I love traveling is diversity. In our differences, I think that humans should be able to grow together. However, everywhere I go, I see quite the opposite. How is it possible that we, the human race, have dwelled together for several thousands of years and still can’t seem to get along? Why do people feel the need to put others down for their differences? For example, in American culture, the custom of greeting is usually a handshake, a wave or maybe as little as a nod, even among good friends. In Mexican culture, however, greetings are much more intimate. At the very least, they shake hands, hug or possibly even kiss, even sometimes when greeting complete strangers. So which is better? My issue is that the question of which is better even exists. Why do I have to say “Mexican culture is much more loving” or “American customs are much safer," thus making either or better than the other?

One reason there is such a misunderstanding is that a lot of us spend our whole lives within the confines of our self-made fences. Many people never travel outside their home countries, home states, hometowns. The United States alone has so many differences just from state to state. I firmly believe that if everyone just once stood in the shoes of “the outsider,” each one of us would be more considerate and open to others’ cultures and customs.

What I ask everyone reading this to do is this: take a moment to imagine how you would feel, alone, in a foreign country. You don’t speak their language. You don’t understand their customs. Your only way of communicating is in English and whatever miming you can muster up, and not a soul understands you. Then, on top of it all, someone says something you do understand: "You’re in my country, speak my language.” Ouch. Yet, that is what so many foreigners in the States face each day. Have you ever said that to someone? Have you ever thought it?

“People need to see that, far from being an obstacle,

the world’s diversity of languages, religions and traditions,

is a great treasure affording us precious opportunities

to recognize ourselves in others.”
-Youssou N’Dour, Musician

I couldn’t have said how I feel any better. (Pretty insightful for a Starbucks cup, huh?) Want my advice? Look outside yourself and see things from another perspective. Put yourself in their situation, and be part of the solution instead of the problem. It just might make you a better person.

Good News!

This document is a photo of the original application

for Auxiliary Pioneering,

signed by Elizabeth Ruesch on this the

26th day of February, 2009

My heart is rejoicing!

Clouds in My Coffee

Last night, we went to a restaurant in Porterville, the Black Bear Diner, to see Brian and Debbie (for those of you who don't know, they are long-time friends of my family). It was great to catch up and even to get to know them better. Debbie is still at the same job she's been in for 16 years! Brian is working as a secretary, and his wife let him use zebra striped reading glasses to see the menu. Brian!!! He's changed so much I can hardly believe it! (By the way, dad, you can't really tell in the picture because I took it with my camera phone, but Brian's hair is SHORT!)

I can't believe what an opportunity I've had even to get to know Liz better. She's still had to work but we have been spending tons of time together. Today I got to go in service with a local congregation in Visalia, the Walnut Grove Congregation. What friendly and inviting brothers! One brother told me at least four times to be sure send love from their congregation to mine. I've only been there once! For service, I got to go with a sister named Gina who is visiting from Green Bay, Brandi who is a native "Visalian", and Maria who was born in Arizona. We quickly became friends as we walked door-to-door. We took a coffee break at a local coffee shop called Tazerria.

Maria is amazing! I loved all of the stories she told me. For example, one was an experience of a man who was really rude to Jehovah's Witnesses. At one visit he told the brothers at his door that he didn't want Witnesses to come by anymore and that if they did he would hurt them very badly. Sure enough, when Witnesses visited him the next time he went to get a knife and started slashing one of the brothers' legs. He hurt the brother so badly that two others had to carry him away. When he arrived at the emergency room, he simply said that the injury had taken place while he was in the work that he does. Never did the brother tell authorities who had done this to him. Meanwhile, the man was at home waiting for the police to come to his house, but they never came. Months passed before the man saw Witnesses in his neighborhood again, but when he did, he noticed they avoided his house. He went outside, which only caused the brothers to run away from him. He called out to them, saying "Please, come back, teach me whatever you're teaching people." He began studying and even advanced to the point of baptism. The day of his baptism, waiting in line, he saw the brother whose leg he had slashed. That brother was in a wheelchair because the doctors were unable to save his foot. The man rushed over to the brother in the wheelchair, fell on his knees and began crying at the sight of what he had done, begging for his forgiveness. He said he couldn't get baptized until he knew he had been forgiven. Needless to say, the man got baptized that day, as his brother looked on.

Maria invited me to go to lunch with her at a Taqueria in Downtown Visalia. Since my favorite Mexican food is Tacos Asadas, she immediately thought of this place. When we got there, we were greeted by a few witnesses who had also been taking a lunch during service. One of the sisters knows a family in Preston. Small world, I guess. Anyway, when Maria and went up to order, the man behind the counter asked if we worked with those other ladies. "Yes, we do," I responded. We proceded to enjoy what were possibly the best tacos asadas I've ever tasted. Then I thought it would be a good idea to try and talk to the man behind the counter about what it is that we do in our "work." He was very happy to receive the magazines about Mary and about water. I doubt Maria will have difficulties finding people to go with her to talk with that man again!

I met back for service that afternoon and was even further encouraged. My group consisted of Rosandra who was born and raised in Visalia, Carrie, and Joellyn the Circuit Overseer's wife. Did I mention Walnut Grove Congregation is enjoying their Circuit Overseer's visit this week? Well, I'm enjoying it too! Anyway, I was talking to a couple sisters and they related an illustration from the 2-day assembly. Two men were riding along on a country road in their horse-drawn buggy. All of the sudden, the horse, whose name is Buddy, slipped on some rocks and the whole buggy went careening into a ditch. When the one man got himself out of the ditch, he then turned his attention to getting the horse and buggy out. So he said, "Come on, Betsy!" But the horse didn't move. Then he said, "Come on, Charlie!" But the horse didn't move. Then he said, "Come on, Buddy!" And the horse mustered all of its might to pull itself and the buggy out of the ditch. When the other man asked "Why did you call your horse the wrong name twice?" the other man replied, "I didn't want him to think he was doing the work by himself!" The moral? Sometimes we might think we're working all by ourselves, but we're surrounded by helpers. Even if we're in service all alone, the angels are there with us the whole way along. Because of that unseen help, we are strong enough to continue. Anyway, this last picture on the right is Randy and Joellyn Meadows. They worked unassigned territory in Soda Springs back in 1981! Yet again, small world.

So now, I'm resting my poor feet from a long day of walking and dancing (we just got finished with our Salsa lesson). Speaking of which, I think we should get together, April, Maddy, Aaron, and whoever else would like to go, and do a dance lesson. It was super fun and they break it down so it's easy to learn. After just two classes, I'm hooked. Sorry, guys. Anyway, it's time to finally relax and get ready for a new day of adventures.

With much love,

Katie

Enjoyable Studytime

I'm really excited today! We have the family study this afternoon in Exeter where Liz's family lives. The only problem with that is I will have to pretend that I speak better Spanish than I do because Bertha doesn't hardly speak English. After that, we will go a little further to Porterville to see Brian and Debbie! I can't wait to see them because it has been at least 5 years since I've seen Brian and much much longer since I've seen Debbie. Let me take a moment to catch you up with what's been going on. Speaking of which, I finally got the karaoke videos to post! They're on the post that will show up right below this one. Oh yeah, and the picture of my cat is there because I kept forgetting my camera yesterday, and plus, he's stinkin' adorable!

Yesterday, Liz and I were planning on going out in service. We woke up a little bit late and were worried we wouldn't make it to her congregation in time since it takes about 20-30 minutes, so we decided to go with a congregation in Visalia. There are two halls, but we went to the one on a street called Lover's Lane (how hilarious, huh?). It happened to be the Spanish congregation, and we ended up going with a sweet little older sister named Estella. We were on our way to her study when she told us that she's a pioneer and always goes in service at 6am every morning. I don't know if I told you this, but when we made Liz's schedule we found that she would need to go out at least twice a week at 6 am before work. When Liz told that to Estella, she said that she would love to go have a companion during the early mornings and that she would be like another mom to Liz. What a wonderful sister! She didn't know it, but she was an answer to our prayers. Just the night before, Liz and I had been talking about the privilege of Pioneering and how she's been wanting to do it for a long time. As soon as she decided she would definitely sign up, Jehovah provided her with the means to do it!

Both of us, beaming and slightly teary-eyed, went on the study with Estella. It was a fantastic study and the lady, Basilia, is a very genuine woman who is progressing in her knowledge very well! Afterward, we went to In-and-Out for lunch (my idea, of course). Don't worry, April...while I have had a few sodas, I've been mostly drinking Iced Tea because it tastes so amazing here! The rest of our day was spent doing a little shopping, including Target (loving that!) and JoAnn's Fabric (not loving that so much) as well as going to the bank and even getting a few more things for my dinner.

I cooked dinner last night: speghetti, bread, garlic butter and Liz made a fresh fruit salad. It was great. Jeremiah said he hated it, because that's how he rolls, but he then proceeded to "hate" two full plates... We watched a movie together: The Terminal. Phenomenal movie, in case you haven't seen it. I think it would make a huge impact on Americans if they made it in some obscure language, like Farsi, and had the tourist be English-speaking. Then I think Americans would understand how difficult it can be to be in a new country where you don't speak the language and no one speaks your language. The way people just talk normally, as if you could understand them if you really wanted to. The way people treat you like you're not really a person if you don't speak their language. It's really quite demeaning the way immigrants and foreigners are treated in the States, all because we're just too ignorant to appreciate their situation. Now I will step off of my soap box...

So, Liz and I enjoyed a 2-hour study session last night. We studied the oral review together, and I feel confident in commenting on a few of them. Everyone, I'm having a great time, and I want you all to know that I am addicted to traveling. Cool things always happen when I travel to new places. For example, I am at Starbucks right now (big surprise) and I just met a nice old man who asked if I knew where an IRS office is locally. Of course, I didn't, but I found him one on the Internet. Then he made a phone call and I noticed he was speaking in Spanish! We started chatting in Spanish, and it turns out he was born in Tempe, AZ! What are the chances? Tried as I did to do the contrary, I couldn't help but overhear him say a few things on the phone that made me think he was a Witness. In talking to him, then, I tried to find out if he was. I found a way to work it into the conversation that I am one of Jehovah's Witnesses, but he never said he was too. Oh well, coincidences don't happen everyday, right? So, until tomorrow, I suppose my adventure will progress, and you all will wait in desperate anticipation of what is to come!

Les Amo, mi familita!

Katie

Sweet-Sounding Karaoke

'Ello my lovely family!

I write to you today on very little sleep. However, I have broken a barrier that I honestly never thought I would. That's right, I broke the space-time continuum barrier! Just kidding, of course, but I did sing karaoke...I know, right????

Here's what happened: After we went to the aquarium, Liz and I walked around town a little bit (Sandra wasn't feeling well, so she rested for awhile). We found this awesome candle shop where the guy carves them into cool designs and...it's hard to explain, but I got his business card so we can check it out online. While we were out, we thought we'd look for where we might eat dinner. There it was, flashing disco lights and all, on the corner of Prescott and Cannery Row...a little corner shack pizza place. Oh yeah, and they have karaoke on the weekends. It took surprisingly little convincing to get Liz to agree that it might be fun! So off we went to talk Sandra into a night on the town. After a few practice runs at the hotel and a whole lot of primping (just kidding), we were pumped and ready to embarrass ourselves in front of complete strangers.

Before I show you the songs, I need to mention that the picture on the left here is some guy totally hitting on Sandra. The songs started out pretty tame, some even lame. Here's one guy who sang a couple times. I feel that any comment I make would further incriminate me...listen at your own risk.

But we sought to liven things up with our sweet rendition of La Bamba. It probably would have stunk if we hadn't added our tantalizing dance moves (ripped straight from "Twist and Shout") and wicked vocals, complete with the whole Mexican cat call thing. That's when the party really got started. Sandy was hooked from that point on and immediately put in her song request (much to my surprise and delight, it was some fantastic rock). The one request we had received when word of this song expedition spread home was "Please sing Dancing Queen." This one's for mom: Liz and I were called to the mic. A brief moment of silence hushed through the restaurant. The lyric screen flashed "Dancing Queen" as the music began blazing the eager ears of all those present. A second passed. The crowd was on their feet, roaring, dancing, cat calling. Liz and I rock the house with 4 minutes of musical happiness. At one point, we did have people behind us swaying to the song, singing along. Feel free to check it out.

So we didn't sound the greatest...who cares? We had so much fun and the crowd really loved it! It was around 12:30 by the time we finally left. The bed was super comfy, even with three of us, and we all slept great for what little time we had to sleep. We needed to get up early this morning to get to the meeting in Monterey at 9:30.

The Public Talk this morning was phenomonal! The brother related thrilling experiences and used such wonderful illustrations that I got goosebumps more than once. The talk was based on Galatians 5:22 about the fruits of the spirit, but especially joy (how to gain and keep our joy in serving Jehovah). One of the experiences was of an elderly Catholic woman who was regular in attending church. When her husband died, she eagerly sought answers to where her husband was now. Her priest told her that, since her husband had not been so faithful in attending church, he was in purgatory but that her faithful attendence and generous donations would keep him out of hell and possibly move him to heaven. When the Witnesses came to her house, she asked them the same questions and received more logical answers that were based on the Bible. She learned the real condition of the dead, and decided to discontinue membership with the Catholic Church. When she told her priest about this, he was furious! "Right now, an angel is in purgatory, holding your husband by the hair of his head. If you stop attending this congregation," he threatened, "that angel will drop your husband into the burning lake of fire!" The woman replied with a smile on her face, "Well now I know you're lying. My husband was bald!"

After enjoying our spiritual food, we were pretty hungry. We decided to eat at a little place in town that we could get to after taking a short drive along the shore. Of course, that sort of drive never ends quickly as we just had to get out and enjoy the beach. We picked up some really cool shells and explored the strange sea life in the rocks nearby. It was quite fun, but it was also time for lunch so we left for the restaurant. After eating, we headed home. It was the lovely calming end to a fantastically exciting weekend!!

Love,

Kate

Pictures of Monterey

Can you see the flatfish? They camoflauge themselves!